Can't decide, NAS or Server?

Nick1881

Nick1881

Nick1881

Soldato
Joined
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Nuneaton, UK
Basically I want to reduce the clutter in my main rig.

I have 3 x 500Gb drives which are almost full and 2 x Samsung SSD 64Gb in Raid for the OS.

Option 1 - Replace the 500Gb drives with a 1.5 or 2TB drive.

Option 2 - Get a NAS and only have my SSD's in my main rig.

Option 3 - Build a small server of some kind and stick a 1TB drive in along with 2 of my 500Gb drives giving me 2TB and a server to play with.

The reason is I want to reduce noise and heat and help air flow in my system. All thats on the 500Gb drives is music and some HD content so as long as I have fast access to this still I'll be happpy.

What do you guys think?
 
Option 1 - Then what would you do with your 500GB drives? Sell them?

Options 2 & 3 - Which is cheapest? If you go with the server then it will have to be permanently switched on if you always want to access it, would that be an issue?
 
NAS

Having a server is pointless. If you want a server to play around with just get VM Ware and bung Linux on it and play around to your hearts content.
 
Smit said:
Option 1 - Then what would you do with your 500GB drives? Sell them?

Options 2 & 3 - Which is cheapest? If you go with the server then it will have to be permanently switched on if you always want to access it, would that be an issue?
Click to expand...


I would either sell them or keep them as back-up drives.

I used to leave my whole pc on all the time anyway and it would probably use less power than my main rig.

Also there is a media centre on the network which would need access to the files on this server/NAS.
 
With regard to leaving it on, well you can use S3 sleep. As long as you allow your NIC to wake from sleep it will come to life as soon as another PC requests a file.

I created a media server for my HTPCs and it works brilliantly.
 
I'm set on the nas idea I think, its smaller and can sit in the cubby hole with the router.

The LaCie is reported as being slow so I need to find a good 1TB for a reasonable price.

I assume it will work fine to dream HD content off the nas?

Thanks
 
The Western Digital MyBook World edition is a good 1TB NAS.

My housemate bought one when it was on offer from a universally hated high-street PC retailer about a year ago.

Has always worked perfectly...
 
mr_x_plosion said:
Basically I want to reduce the clutter in my main rig.

I have 3 x 500Gb drives which are almost full and 2 x Samsung SSD 64Gb in Raid for the OS.

Option 1 - Replace the 500Gb drives with a 1.5 or 2TB drive.

Option 2 - Get a NAS and only have my SSD's in my main rig.

Option 3 - Build a small server of some kind and stick a 1TB drive in along with 2 of my 500Gb drives giving me 2TB and a server to play with.

The reason is I want to reduce noise and heat and help air flow in my system. All thats on the 500Gb drives is music and some HD content so as long as I have fast access to this still I'll be happpy.

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

option 1 + get a bigger case (if needed)

sell off the smaller disks

NAS or server is a bit long tbh, ive looked into it, makes more sense just to get a bigger HDD!
 
My case is already huge, Lian Li PC-A71B, it can hold 7 HDD's even with my water cooling in.

I am more tempted by the 1 big drive idea now, seems less hassle. 1.5TB drives are just over £100 so the cheapest option, but the NAS would allow access to the content from the media centre even when my pc is off, although that's not very often.
 
Hi,

I have started to use NAS now I have 2.5Tb of HDD space in my computer but a NAS can stay on all the time, if I need to quickly access something I put it on the NAS and also cheaper to run 24/7.

All the old hard drives that I dont use do into the NAS devices I have...

I use a Drobo and a Synology both I find are fantastic :)

Stelly
 
yashiro said:
You don't really want to reduce clutter. You just want new stuff. :P
Click to expand...

This ;)

I'm still not sure. My mate said get a server but thats an extra machine in my room running next to me, my flat is tiny so no where else for it to go.

I do like the NAS idea but still 1 big HDD in my machine is the easiest cheapest option.
 
Beware, consumer NAS drives have really crap throughput even though they may be Gigabit capable, reason for this is quite simply that they are made on the cheap for the masses therefore they can't process the info as quick as the LAN can throw it at the device. I have a 1tb Lacie NAS and a 500gb Lacie NAS and copying files back and fourth is so slow but on the flip side the Lacies come with TwonkyMedia so can stream media which for me is ideal as the Lacie can serve media to my PS3, even copes with HD content.
 
My Freecom 1TB NAS runs quite happily on the network, limiting factor is the fact I usually access it via WiFi but unless you have anything you need processing power for then get the NAS option :D
 
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